How to choose a business name and web address that customers remember

What makes a good business name

• Easy to say and spell. If you have to spell it out on every phone call, customers will misspell it in Google too.
• Short. Two or three words at most. Long names get shortened by customers anyway.
• Says what you do, or is easy to link to what you do. "Sharma Dental Care" needs no explanation; a made-up word needs a tagline beside it.
• Not tied to one product or one street if you plan to grow. "Lajpat Nagar Mobile Repair" is hard to keep if you move or start selling accessories.
• Different from competitors nearby. A name close to a well-known local business confuses customers and can cause legal trouble.

Check the name before you commit

1. Search the name on Google and Google Maps in your city. If another business with the same or a very similar name shows up, pick something else.
2. Search it on Instagram and Facebook to see whether the handle is free.
3. If you plan to register a company or LLP, check the name on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) portal.
4. If the name is important to your brand, check the trade marks register on the IP India website, and speak to a trade mark attorney before you invest in signboards and packaging.
5. Say it out loud to five people and ask them to write it down. If they all spell it differently, think again.

Your web address

Your web address should match your business name as closely as possible, so customers can guess it. Keep it short and use hyphens only if you have to.

On Indiexis your page lives at indiexis.com/yourbusinessname. You choose the last part when you register, so pick the version of your name customers would type: lowercase, no spaces, words joined with hyphens, such as indiexis.com/sharma-dental-care. You can check whether an address is free on the registration page before you sign up.

Use exactly the same name everywhere

Once you decide, use the identical name on your signboard, visiting cards, GST and bank documents (where possible), Google Business Profile, website, WhatsApp Business and social media. Google compares these when it decides how much to trust your business, and customers trust a name they see repeated consistently.